Hong Kong police fire tear gas to disperse anti-government protestersProtesters defaced the Hong Kong emblem after they stormed parliamentHONG KONG - Black-clad riot police fired tear gas and baton-charged protesters in Hong Kong early Tuesday to disperse demonstrators who stormed parliament in a day of unprecedented chaos and political violence as the territory marked its China handover. Just after midnight officers moved in from several directions, scattering protesters with tear gas and baton-charges, sending plumes of smoke drifting across the heart of the financial hub as fleeing demonstrators scattered, leaving open umbrellas on the city streets. "Hong Kong is not China," read another. Although Hong Kong returned from British to Chinese rule on July 1, 1997, it is still administered separately under an arrangement known as "one country, two systems". This year's rally is framed by unprecedented anti-government protests that have drawn millions, with the public angry over police use of tear gas and rubber bullets.

Source: Bangkok Post July 01, 2019 16:41 UTC